Shearing apparatus for taped bags and the like



March 16, 1937. 1 A. CUNDALI. 2,074,157 SHEARING APPARATUS FOR TAPED BAGS AND THE LIKE Filed March 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l Byw ATTORNEY.

March `16, 1937.

L. lA. CUNDALL SHEARING APPARATUS FOR TAPED BAGS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1935 March 16, 193171V A. cuNDALL SHERING APPARATUS FOR TAPED BAGS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 18, 1935 INVENTOR /NC'/V CU/VLZ.

ATTORE nMarch 16, 1937. LA CUNDALL 2,074,167

' SHEARING APPARATUS FOR TAPED BAGS AND THE LIKE Filed March 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES SHEARING APPARATUS FOR TAPED BAGS i Y AND THE LIKE Lincoln A. Cundall, Bualo, N. Y., assignor to Bagpak,v Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 18,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to mechanism for separating united articles, particularly filled bags joined by a continuous bag closing element, or

elements. The invention is particularly designed for use as a tape and/or thread shearing means in a bag filling and/or closing machine such as set forth in the copending application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 688,816, led September 9, 1933, or the copending application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 757,772, led December 17, 1934.

In the aforementioned applications, the method of, and means for, closing the mouths of openmouth filled bags and applying a sealing strip over the sewed mouths are fully set forth. In the said applications, a form of shears is illustrated, or indicated. The present invention is an improved shearing mechanism particularly adapted to be used at the stations indicated. It is the purpose of the present invention to devise a shear which will be efiicient in operation and which overcomes objections to prior types of shears.

.The machines set forth in the aforementioned applications are designed to be used in a great number of fields and paper bags are becoming more important in a greater number of industries, each requiring a suitable type and size of bag. It is readily apparent that one hundred pounds of fluiiy material, such as caustic soda, or cocoa, requires a very much larger bag than one hundred pounds of grain or other relatively heavy, granular materials. Each industry therefore requires a machine which will handle a package of the proper size. Likewise, it is extremely desirable to have a single machine which will handle the same product packed in several sizes of bags. One object of the present invention is to devise a shear which will separate the closed bags in a uniform manner regardless of the width of the bag mouth, thereby enabling the manufacture of a standard shear which can be attached to each and every bag filling and closing machine regardless of the size, or sizes, of the bags to be used therein. Likewise, the present invention enables the4 closing of more than one size of bag in `the same machine without adjustment, thereby eliminating the nuisance of adjusting the shear each time that achange in package size is desred.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevational View of the preferred form of the invention mounted upon the frame of a bag closing machine;

1935, Serial No. 11,563

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 and showing the shears ready to operate;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan View taken along line 3 3 of Fig.v 1 and showing the shears at the instant of operation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the shears as they are about to return to ready position; i

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, partially in schematic representation, showing the positions of the shears corresponding to Figs. 2, 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the shear operating mechanism taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section in plan of a portion of the shear operating mechanism taken along line '1 -1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8;

q Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with portions removed for clarity, and showing the mechanism in its normal position;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section of Fig. 8 taken along line lI-II and showing the shears inthe position corresponding to Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the shearsI ready to operate;

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing the shears at the instant of operation;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line Ill- I4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Figs. 10, 12 and 13 but showing the mechanism returning to its normal position;

Fig. 16 is a Vertical section of the shear operating mechanism take along line I6--l6 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 16 taken along line I'l--I'l of Fig. 11.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the preferred form of shear comprises means to separate connecting material between the mouths of filled bags which are substantially uniformly spaced and uniformly conveyed in the machine. In Fig. 2., the bags are shown traveling in the direction oi' the arrow, a bag A being followed by a bag B and connected thereto by a strip of material C. The bags are conveyed by means of a xedly guided gripping belt 2li and a resiliently guided gripping belt 2l driven by suitable means (not shown). lThe belts are guided by guide bars 22 and 23, respectively, the latter being urged toward the former by springs 24. ,Guide bars 22 and 23 are mounted upon angle beams 25 and 26, respectively, forming a part of the frame of the machine.

A bracket 30, mounted upon angle beam 25, extends toward the path of the bags, terminating in a vertical standard 3| within which is iixedly mounted a post 32. Surrounding post 32 and freely rotatable thereabout is a sleeve 33 (Fig. 6) resting upon the top of standard 3|. Surrounding sleeve 33 is a plurality of operating elements, the lowermost of which comprises a driving clutch member 34 pinned to sleeve 33. ber 34 is provided with a plurality of semicircular pockets 35 within which may be engaged a clutchpawl 36 mounted upon a clutch-dog 3l'. The pawl 36 is semicircular in form and, when the dog 3l is in the full-line position of Fig. 7, will be rotated out of engagement with the pockets 35. A spring 38 attached to the dog 37 tends 130 mOVe it to the broken-line position of Fig. 7 whereupon the pawl 36 will be rotated into engagement with one of the pockets. The dog 31 is mounted upon a driven clutch member 3S having no connection to the sleeve 33 except through the clutch-pawl.

The upper portion of the clutch member 36 comprises a shear operating cam 40 which, when the clutch-pawl is engaged, will operate the shears. Supported upon the top of cam 40 is a shear operating yoke 4i having a pair of pintle ears 42 at one end and a cam following roller 43 at the other endr engaging with the edge of cam 46. 'Ihe driven clutch member 39 is pinned to a second sleeve 45 surrounding sleeve 33. Pinned to sleeve 45 above yoke 4I is a shear swinging cam 46above which is mounted a shear swinging yoke 41 and a retaining collar 48. A retaining collar 49'is xed to sleeve 33 at its upper extremity and a large coil spring 56, positioned between retaining collars 48 and 49, holds the shear operating mechanisms in compact relationship. A sprocket 5I driven by a sprocket chain 52 (Fig. 1) is xed to the topof retaining collar 49 and continuously rotates the sleeve 33 and the driving clutch member 34.

Fixed, by means of bolts 60, to one side of the standard 3| is an upright arm 6l terminating in a horizontally disposed bearing 62 within which is mounted a shear swinging shaft 63 held in proper relation by a collar 64 and a rocking arm 65. The forward extremity of shaft 63 has a shear support 66 mounted thereon. The shear support 66 would be rotatable about shaft 63 were it not for a pin 61 extending crosswise of the end of shaft 63. The bearing of the shear support 66 is provided with opposed radial notches 68 and 66 within which the pin 61 is located. A spring lil extending between the end of pin 61 and support 63 tends to retain support 66 at a right angle to pin 6l'. However, any force applied to the support 66 will allow it to rotate relative to shaft 63 against the tension of spring 'I0 to the full extent allowed by the notches 68 and 66. Any normal movement of support 66 will occur only in case shaft 63 is rocked by the rocking arm as will presently appear.

Cam 46 reciprocates the yoke 47 by means of a roller 1.5 carried by the yoke and bearing against the edge of the cam. A pin 'i6 is mounted on the yoke 41 and a spring 1l, stretched between it and a pin mounted in the upright arm 6I, keeps roller 15 in engagement with the edge of cam 46.

- The opposite end of yoke 41 is provided with a pair of pintle ears I8 to which the rocking arm `65 is pivotally attached. Rotation of cam 46 upon the engagement of the clutch-pawl will cause reciprocation of yoke 4'! and rocking of shaft 63 and the shear support 66, thereby moving the shear support through an arc as indicated by the various positions of Fig. 5.

Pivotally connected to the pintle ears 42 of shear operating yoke 4i is a short connecting vlink 86 terminating in a' socket 8i vwithin which The clutch memv the head of a ball-stud 82 is engaged. Ball-stud 82 is mounted on the movable shear arm 83, which is pivoted to the shear support 66 at 84. The shear support 66 is notched to provide a vthroat at 85, to the edges of which are xed ilaring guides 86 and 8l. A fixed shear blade 83 is xed to the shear support 66 at the rear of the throat. The movable shear arm 83 extends toward the front of the throat and the movable shear blade 89 is fixed thereto. Suitable adjusting pins 9|) are provided which bear against the surface of the shear support 66 and may be adjusted to provide accurate engagement of the cutting edges. An arm 9| is fixed to the shear support 66 and a spring 92 is stretched between its free end and a pin mounted in the ball-stud E2. The spring 92 always tends to snap the movable blade past the xed blade, but is restrained by reason of the roller 43 bearing against cam 46.

In Fig. 2, the normal position of the mechanism is illustrated. The cam 40 (and the associated mechanism) rotates in a clockwise direction about post 32 as soon as pawl 36 is engaged. The high point of cam 46 is but a short distance from the normal resting position of the roller 43, and immediately upon the pawl being engaged the high point will approach and pass roller 43 (Fig. 3) allowing the spring 92 to actuate the shears. Continued rotation of cam 40 (Fig. 4) causes the opening of the shear blades and the holding of the shear blades in open position as long as cam 4@ is not again allowed to rotate beyond the position of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 2 the normal position of roller 'l5 and the shear swinging cam 46 is indicated in dotted outline. Fig. 5 shows, in full lines, the position of the shear support 66 corresponding to Fig. 2. The roller i5 at this instant is resting in the lowermost part of cam 46, which is substantially heart-shaped. Rotation of cam 46 will take place simultaneously with rotation of cam 46, therefore, during the time that the roller 43 is approaching the shearing position, roller 15 will have been but slightly affected (Fig. 3). At the instant of cut-off arm 65 will have been rocked but slightly and the shear support 66 will have rocked to the intermediate position illustrated in Fig. 5. The remainder of the rst 90 of rotation will move arm 66 to the second broken-line position shown in Fig. 5, corresponding to the high point of cam 46 (Fig. 4). The movement of the shear blades is more or less at the same speed as the movement of the bags so that the closed shears will not obstruct the bags as they would if allowed to remain stationary at the position of Fig. 3. From position of Fig. 3 to position of Fig. 4 roller 43 has been forced outward thereby opening the shears as the support 66 is swinging with the bag. The resilient connection afforded by spring 'i6 allows some diierential between the speed of the bag and the speed of swinging so that no jam can occur.

The clutch, as will presently appear, is intended to be a one-revolution clutch and therefore the cams will move from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 2 before the clutch disengages. Continued motion will open the shears to their fullest extent and will rock the support 66 back from its broken-line position to the full-line position of Fig. 5, this backward movement against the direction o-f travel of the bags being permitted since the shears are held open.

The bags, at their various positions, are fully set forth in Fig. 5. In this figure, the full line, a, represents the trailing edge of the. bag A at the i the same instant.

position corresponding to Fig. 2. The broken line, a', represents the same trailing edge of the same bag A at the instant of shearing corresponding to Fig. 3, and the broken-line, b', represents the leading edge of the succeeding bag B at At the position of Fig. 4, the bag B will be across the entire width of the figure and bag A will have passed from view. As shown clearly in Fig. 3, the shears clip through the conn necting thread and/or tape at a certain distance to the rear of baglA, which is preferablymidway between the. two bags. Since the bags are equally spaced upon the conveying device, it is a very simple matter to so fix cam 40 that the point of cuteoi will be equi-distant of the bags.

If, asin the application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 680,538, led July 15, 1933, the bags are not equally spaced as they in the application of Robert N. Gunda-ll, and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 688,816, filed September 9, 1933, nevertheless, the device is eifective since. the shears will operate to cut at the saine distance behind the bag. Therefore, regardless of the spacing ofthe bags and of the -7 width of the bags, the present invention may be used.

In order to engage the clutch at the proper instant the following mechanism is provided: At the side of the upright arm t! there is provided a lug to which is pivoted a lever 10i An extension |02 of the lever engages an adjustable abutment |03 to prevent lever |0| from swinging beyond the position of Fig. 3 under the influence of a spring |84 xed to an arm |05 bolted to the standard 3|. lever |0| carries a bag-sensing nger |07. The finger is bevelled at an acute angle to the oncom ing bags so that the forward edge of the bag, on engaging the finger, will force lever |0| to rock about its pivot against the tension of spring 08 vuntil the lever and finger reach the position of Fig. 4, whereupon the side of the bag will hold the lever in the position illustrated. A link H0 is pivoted to the free end of lever liti and to the free end of a second lever Hl. Lever is xed to a shaft H2 mounted in a bearing'extending from the front of standard 8|. The upper end of shaft ||2 carries a lever llt in the free end of which is mounted a clutch-pin |145, In the normal position of Fig. 2 the nger |87 is engaged by the bag A, thereby holding the clutchpin H4 in the path of the clutch-dog 8l. As soon as the trailing edge of bag A passes the end of finger |07 the linger snaps outward to the position of Fig. 3 under the tension of spring lilfi. Immediately. spring 38 (Fig. 7) causes engagement of clutch-paw] 38 in one of the pockets 35 and the operating cams commence to rotate. Fig. 3, illustrating the instant of cut-ofi, shows that dog 3l has rotated from the position of Fig. 2 a

vdistance such as to allow the roller i3 to drop from the high point of cam lili. 'in Fig. 4 bag B has engaged the linger |87, thereby rocking the clutch-pin llt into the path of the clutch-paw?. During the next 90 of rotation the shears will be returnedto the position orFig. 2 whereupon the pin H4 engaging clutch-dog 8l Vprevents, iur-V ther rotation of the cams. The shears will now be held until bag B passes the end oi finger lill' whereupon a second shearing operation will take place.

If, as in the application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 680,538, ded July 15, 1933, the bags are not evenly spaced no harm will result from the failure of finger |87 An extension E88 of i to be swung toward the rear, since the shears will continue to operate without cutting anything at all until the bag closing mechanism is stopped. Upon a succeeding bag being passed through the machine the shears will be stopped at the position of Fig. 2 until its trailing edge passes finger |01 whereupon a cut will be made at the proper distance from the rear edge of the bag.

Figs. 8 to 16, inclusive, illustrate a form of the invention designed more particularly to be used in connection with the application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 680,538, led July 15, 1933, or the application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 757,772, filed December 17, 1934. Nevertheless, the same principles are embodied. In this form of the invention the bag feeding chains and 2|, the guide bars 22 23, and the angle beams` and 26 are the same as in the formerly described form. A post is mounted upon angle beam 25 and supports the shear operating mechanism. Surrounding the post 32 and supported by the standard 3| is a sleeve 33 rotated by a sprocket 5| and sprocket chain 52. Fixed to sleeve 83 is a driving clutch member 3l! having pockets 35 within which may be received a clutchpawl 38 mounted upon a clutch-dog 3l, the clutchdog being carried by a driven clutch member 39 clutch member 39 is a cam A0 against which isheld a roller i3 carried by a shear operating yoke llI.' Cam 4|) and yoke 4| operate in the manner previously described to open and close the piv oted shear blade 89. The fixed shear blade 88 is mounted upon an extension it@ of the standard 3i. The pivoted shear blade 89 operated by a spring 92 extending from the shear lever to an arm 9|. A single rotation kof cam it wili open` andclose the shears exactly as previously described, but in this formof the invention there is no mechanism corresponding to cam 46 and the shear swinging shaft, the reason therefor being presently apparent.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, it is seen that a bridge 2| straddles the iframe of the machine to which is attached an arm |22 carrying a tape forming device |23 adapted to bend a strip of gurnmed tape around the mouth of the filled and previously sewed bag, as fully explained in the applications of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln y which is mounted a shaft carrying'sprocket gears l25 and |26 and a gear |21. A sprocket chain t28 drivesthe shaft from a suitable source (not shown). Sprocket gear |28 drives the sprocket chain 52 which rotates the sleeve 33. The lower end ofY the shaft carries a tapepressing roll, which roll bears against the rear side of the bag as it emerges from the former 23 with the gummedtape in contact therewith. A second arm is pivoted to the bridge |2| and a gear |32 fixed to a shaft therein is held in mesh with gear |27 by a spring |33. Gear 32 rotates the iront tapepressing roll. i3d. The top of the bag as it emerges from the former brings the gummed-tape between the rolls, and the tape will be firmly bonded to the bag thereby. As fully detailed in the said applications, the tape-pressing rolls are not-allowed to contact each other, being restrained by an adjustable abutment. For this reason if the tape alone is between the rolls no feeding movement thereof will occur, but as soon as the chains 20 and 2| bring the mouth of a filled bag through the former |23 the tape and the bag will be fed by the driven tape-pressing rolls. Since the bags are not fed in close, uniform spacing there is no necessity for the swinging mechanism of the first described form, but it is necessary that the shears be ready to operate as soon as a bag is being fed forward and that it shear at the same distance behind the trailing edge of the bag, regardless of its width. Since in this form it is certain that the bag will not be uniformly spaced, there has been provided means for insuring the stopping of the clutch after one revolution.

In Fig. 8 the normal position of the operating mechanism is illustrated with the roller 43 engaged by the high part of cam 40. Fig. 10 corresponds to this position. The clutch-dog 31 is engaged by the clutch-pin |49. The clutch-pin 40 is mounted upon a lever |4| (Fig. 14). This lever is fixed to a rock shaft |42 to which is likewise fixed a tripping plate |43 provided with a bayonet slot |44. A pin 45 is carried by a link |46 and is engaged in the slot |44. Link |46 is pivoted at its other end to a sensing finger |41 pivoted to the frame of the machine and extending into the path of the bags. A spring |48 tends to hold the finger |4'| in the position of Fig. 10. A spring |49 attached to the frame and to link |46 tends to draw the link toward the rear of the machine so as to force pin |45 into the hook of bayonet slot |44. A spring |50 attached to the frame and to tripping plate |43 tends to draw the tripping plate from the position of Fig. 10 to the position of Fig. 12, but is prevented from doing so because of the superior strength of spring |48. However, in either position of Fig. l0 or Fig. l2 the clutch-dog 37 is long enough to maintain its engagement with the clutch-pin |40 and the clutch-pawl will be held out of engagement.

As the finger |41 is engaged by the bag C and moved to the position of Fig. 12, the pin |45 will be moved to the left end of slot |44 in the tripping plate and spring |49 will snap it into the hook of the bayonet slot, as shown in Fig. 12. The mechanism is now cocked, ready to operate as soon as the trailing edge of the bag passes finger |4'| as at Fig. 13. When this happens, the superior strength of spring |48 overcomes spring |59 and the tripping plate |43 will be rocked to rock pin |40 from the path of the clutch-dog 3i. In Fig. 13 the cam 40 has rotated far enough to allow spring 92 to snap the shears shut. Since the bag C is thereby separated from the tape and the tape-pressing rolls are prevented from feeding the tape, there is no necessity for swinging the shears with the bag and it is only necessary to open the shears.

Mounted upon the driven clutch member is a lug |5| which rotates as long as the clutchpawl is in engagement. A sleeve |52 surrounds shaft |42 and a lever |53 is fixed thereto opposite the lug |5|. The lower end of sleeve |52 has a lever |54 fixed thereto, the lever extending over the tripping plate |43 alongside of link |46. A spring |55 is fixed to lever |54 and maintains lever |53 against the surface of the clutch. As lug |5| engages lever |53 (Fig. 15) the lever |54 will engage link |46, thereby moving pin |45 out of the hook of the bayonet slot and allowing spring |50 to snap the tripping plate to the position of Fig. 15 and the clutch-pin into the path of the clutch-dog. In this single revolution, the cam 40 has opened the shears and they will now be held in open position until another bag is moved through the machine.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the primary object of the invention is to shear a connecting element between articles regardless of the width of the articles. In the first form of the invention a high-speed machine, in which uniformly spaced articles are fed, is made possible. In the second form of the invention, a slower machine, in which irregularly and widely spaced articles are fed, is made possible. Each form achieves the primary object of clipping the connecting elements a definite distance from the edge of the article. The primary function of the device is to clip a connecting tape and/or sewing thread between paper bags. However, the invention is suitable for use in connection with cloth bags and other united articles.

It will, of course, be realized that the application of tape and sewing threads to paper bags in their unfilled condition is better accomplished when the bags are laid fiat rather than standing in a vertical relation. It is within the province of my invention to clip the connecting elements in a paper bag making machine. In such case the shear operating mechanism could be mounted so as to occupy a substantially horizontal plane rather than vertical, as illustrated. It is also apparent that modification of the device to permit a vertical shear operating mechanism, as

illustrated, is possible by the simple expedient of mounting the shear blades at right angles to their present position, as is well known throughout the art.

Other modifications and alterations in detail and arrangement will be apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is not to be limited except by the following claims which are to be broadly construed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for severing a tape or other elongated element attached to a bag or other article and extending therefrom comprising, means to feed the article, a fixed shear blade located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite side of the line of travel of the element and adapted to be moved past said xed shear blade to sever the element, a shear operating cam having a radially extending edge and normally prevented from rotating, a cam follower cooperating with said cam and connected to said movable shear blade to control movement thereof, a spring baising said movable shear blade to keep said cam follower against said cam and to actuate said movable shear blade upon rotation of said cam to an extent suficient to move said edge past said cam follower, a continuously rotating driving member coaxial with said cam, a coaxially mounted clutch associated therewith to connect said cam to said member upon being engaged, means to control said clutch comprising an article sensing finger projectable into the path of said article, a clutch-pin connected thereto, and a clutch-dog mounted on the driven portion of said clutch and engageable by said clutch-pin upon said finger being retracted due to the presence of an article, said clutch-dog and the radial edge of said cam being so located with reference to each other that the cam is brought to a stop with said radial edge a short distance from said cam follower.

2. Apparatus for severing a tape or other elongated element attached to a bag or other article and extending therefrom comprising, means to feed the article, a fixed shear blade located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite side of the line of travel of the element and adapted to be moved past said fixedV shear blade movable shear blade upon rotation of said cam to an extent sufiicient to move said edge past said cam follower, a continuously rotating driving member coaxial with said cam, a coaxially mounted clutch associated therewith to connect said cam to said member uponbeing engaged, means to control said clutch comprising an article sensing finger projectable into the path of said article, a clutch-pin connected thereto, and a clutch-dog mounted on the driven portion of said clutch and 'd engageable by said clutch-pin upon said finger being retracted due to the presence of an article, said clutch-dog and the radial edge of said cam being so located with reference to each other that the cam is brought to a stop with said radial edge a short distance from said cam follower, and coaxially mounted means associated with said cam to swing said shear blades bodily about their pivotal mounting.

3. Apparatus for severing a tape or other elongated element attached to a bag or other article and extended therefrom comprising, means to feed the article, a shear mounting, a shear blade `fixed in position upon saidmounting and located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite side of the line of travel of the element and pivotally attached to said mounting, means to operate said movable shear blade to sever the element, and means to swing said mounting in the direction of travel of said article during the shearing operation and back to the original position after the shearing operation, said means comprising a plurality of coaxially mounted cams normally prevented from rotating.

4. Apparatus for severing a tape or other elongated element attached to a bag or other article and extended therefrom comprising, means to feed the article, a shear mounting, a shear blade fixed in position upon said mounting and located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite sideof the line of travel of the element and pivotally attached to said mounting, means to operate said movable shear blade to sever the element, and means to swing said mounting in the direction of travel of said article during the shearing operation and back to the original position after the shearing operation, said means comprising a plurality of coaxially mounted cams normally prevented from rotating, a continuously rotating driving member and a clutch associated therewith to connect said cams to said member upon being engaged.

5. Apparatus for severing a tape or other elongated element attached to a bag or other article and extended therefrom comprising, means tov feed the article, a shear mounting, a shear blade fixed in position upon said mounting and located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite side of the line of travel of the element and pivotally attached to said mounting, means to .operate said movable shear blade to sever the element, and means to swing said mounting in the direction of travel of said article during the shearing operation and back to the original position after the shearing operation, said means comprising a plurality of coaxially mounted cams normally prevented from rotating, a continuously rotating driving member, a clutch associated therewith to connect said cams to said member upon being engaged, and means to control said clutch comprising an Varticle sensing finger projectable into the path of said article.

' 6. Apparatus for severing a. tape'or other elongated element attached to a bag or other article and extended therefrom comprising, means to feed the article, ashear mounting, a shear blade fixed in position upon said mounting and located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite side of the line of travel of the element and pivotally attached to said mounting, means to operate said movable shear blade to sever the element, and means to swing said mounting in the direction of travel of said article during the shearing operation and back to the original position after the shearing operation, said means comprising a plurality of coaxially mounted cams K normally prevented from rotating, a Vcontinuously rotating driving memberV and a clutch associated therewith to connect said cams to said member upon being engaged, means to control said clutch comprising an article sensing finger projectable into the path of said article and a clutch pin connected thereby, and a clutch dog mounted on the driven portion of said clutch and engageable by said clutch pin upon said finger being retracted due to the presence of an article.

7. Apparatus for severing a tape or other elongated element attached to a bag or other Varticle and extended therefrom comprising, means to feed the article, a shear mounting, a shear blade fixed in position upon said mounting and located at one side of the line of travel of the element, a movable shear blade normally poised at the opposite side of the line of travel of the element and pivotally attached to said mounting, means to operate said movable shear blade to sever the element, and means to swing said mounting in the direction of travel of said article during the shearing operation and back to the original position after the shearing operation, said means comprising a plurality of coaxially mounted cams normally prevented from rotating, a continuously rotating driving member and a clutch associated therewith to connect said cams to said member upon being engaged, means to control said clutch comprising an article sensing finger projectable into the path of said article and a clutch pin connected thereby, and a clutch dog mounted on the driven portion of said clutch and engageable by said clutch pin upon said finger being retracted due to the presence of an article, said clutch being held disengaged by said clutch pin as long as said finger is retracted.

LINCOLN A. CUNDALL. 

